


A Quiet Moment

by Elennare



Category: Yogscast "High Rollers" D&D Campaign
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Nightmares, Wordless Communication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-01
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:54:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21625648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elennare/pseuds/Elennare
Summary: In the cells in Gusthaven, Quill has a nightmare. Lucius helps.
Relationships: Qillek Ad Khollar & Lucius Virion-Elluin Elenasto
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31
Collections: Fic Rush





	A Quiet Moment

**Author's Note:**

> For thisbluespirit's Genremixer prompt meme - my prompts were "Wordless Communication & cages".

Quill shoots bolt upright on his pallet, shaking, the blinding lightning that flashed through his nightmare still far more vivid than the dark cell he’s in. Eyes wide, he looks all around, trying to ground himself in reality. There’s no storm here, this isn’t the valley, he’s safe - well, safe is arguable, he’s in a cell, but there’s no lightning - what’s that light? A glowing orange orb floats into view through the wall, and with it comes recognition. That’s one of Lucius’s Dancing Lights! He must be awake, and have heard something… 

As quietly as he can, Quill stands up and walks towards the barred front of his cell. He’ll be able to see Lucius from there, maybe whisper to him… He could use the messenger ring, but that might wake the others, or alert them if they’re awake, and he doesn’t want to have to explain to everyone; it’s bad enough Lucius has noticed something. As he’d expected, Lucius is standing at the front of his own cell, looking towards Quill’s, faintly lit by another of his lights. As soon as he sees Quill, he gestures for silence, then performs a remarkably good imitation of Smeek gabbling at something. 

Quill smiles at the pantomime, amused despite the adrenaline still running through him, and nods his understanding. Then a thought strikes him, and he points towards the dancing light inquiringly. Won’t that attract the little ghost too? 

Lucius shakes his head and shrugs. Quill guesses that means he’s had his lights up for a while, and Smeek has been ignoring them… how long has he been awake? Before he can figure out a way to mime the question, Lucius points at him, with an expression of such concern Quill can almost hear him asking if he’s okay.

How do you explain without words you’ve had a nightmare? With a grimace, Quill zig-zags his hand, drawing a lightning bolt in the air, then waves awkwardly at his missing wing. To his relief, Lucius seems to understand at once, his face softening with sympathy. He sits down in his cell, leaning against the bars, and motions for Quill to do the same. Quill follows suit, slightly puzzled but willing to trust his friend. 

Once they’re both sitting down, Lucius takes an exaggeratedly deep breath, raising and lowering one hand to emphasize it. Obediently, Quill breathes slowly in and out a few times, in time with Lucius’s hand, feeling his rapidly beating heart slow down as the residual panic from his nightmare starts to fade away. He wonders how Lucius knew to do that… Has he suffered from nightmares himself, is it something Nanny taught him? Is it something he’s figured out this last week? He wishes he could ask, but he doesn’t feel equal to dealing with Smeek; so he contents himself with giving Lucius a smile and a thumbs up, to show it’s working.

Lucius smiles back and points to the slit window, then gestures with his hands, tracing a… dome shape? Quill frowns, puzzled. Lucius must notice he’s not understanding, as he begins a new pantomime, starting to draw a lightning bolt with one hand, then cutting it off with a sweeping stroke from the other - oh! He must mean the weather protections around Gusthaven, Quill realizes. He nods, telling Lucius he’s got it now.

The window Lucius pointed at is still dark, and everyone else is fast asleep… Why is Lucius awake, Quill wonders? Has he slept at all? He’s noticed the shadows under Lucius’s eyes, has suspected he’s not sleeping much, and this seems like confirmation. He points at his friend, then mimes sleeping, resting his head on his hand and closing his eyes for a second. When he opens them again, Lucius looks… caught? Is that what the look on his face is? It fades before Quill can be quite sure, as he indicates his pointed ears, then lifts four fingers. Explaining that as an elf he only needs a few hours of trancing, Quill understands; but there’s a certain wariness to his expression that Quill’s certain means he’s lying, or being evasive at the very least.

He could point out that Aila and Sentry only need those few hours too, and they’re still asleep, Quill thinks. Maybe he should point that out? But having an argument in mime seems too absurd… He should try and make Lucius get some rest, at least. But he’s sure Lucius won’t move until he does, and he doesn’t want to go back to bed just yet. The memories of his nightmare, the memories it was based on that are all too real, are still running through his mind. He can still see the lightning flashes when he closes his eyes… He’ll go to bed soon, and try to convince Lucius to do so too. But for now, he just wants to sit here, enjoying this oddly companionable moment, for just a little longer. 


End file.
